Iraqi top court sets date to convene on parliament dissolution case

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Iraq's Federal Supreme Court set August 30 as the date to convene to decide on the case of dissolving the parliament filed by a Sadrist official, it said on Thursday after demonstrators gathered at the gates of Iraq's top judicial body.

"The subject matter of the case included the ruling to dissolve parliament and oblige the President of the Republic to set a date for holding legislative elections in accordance with Article 64," the statement read.

Nassar al-Rubaie, the head of the Sadrist Movement's political wing, submitted the case to the court following leader Muqtada al-Sadr's calls on the judiciary to dissolve parliament.

Iraq's Supreme Judicial Court earlier in August said it lacks the authority to dissolve the parliament and it does not reserve the right to interfere in legislative or executive matters.

Supporters of Sadr flocked to the Supreme Judicial Council on Tuesday and set up tents, reiterating demands for the dissolution of parliament and the end to corruption in the country.

The Sadrist Movement, which emerged from the October elections with the highest number of seats, withdrew from the parliament in June after a prolonged disagreement with rivals Coordination Framework, a pro-Iran Shiite faction, over the formation of Iraq's next government.

Iraqis took to the streets in October 2019 in anti-corruption protests, resulting in early elections in October 2021. However, the country has failed to form a government over ten months later due to continued disagreements between the political blocs.